Suleyman Ali Muntari, born on August 27, 1984, in Konongo, Ashanti, Ghana, is a Ghanaian former professional footballer and one of the most decorated midfielders Africa has produced in the modern era. Known for his powerful physique, tenacious ball-winning, and a left foot that could change games, he spent the best years of his career in Italy’s Serie A, winning a Champions League title with Inter Milan and becoming one of the few African players to represent both Milan giants.
He is 41 years old and retired, but his legacy extends beyond statistics. The day he walked off a pitch in Italy while shouting “This is my colour” at a crowd racially abusing him remains one of the most defining moments of conscience in football history.
Sulley Muntari Profile
| Name | Sulley Muntari |
| Real Name | Suleyman Ali Muntari |
| Date of Birth | August 27, 1984 |
| Nationality | Ghanaian |
| Occupation | A Ghanaian former professional footballer |
| Religion | Islam |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Net Worth | $22 million |
| Copied from | content101.com |
Educational Background
Sulley Muntari attended Osei Kyeretwie Senior High School in Ghana before football took over as the primary focus of his life. He grew up in Konongo, raised by his parents Hajia Kande and Alhaji Sulley, alongside his siblings Sulley Muniru and Tamimu Muntari, both of whom also pursued professional football careers.
Career
Sulley Muntari began his youth career at Liberty Professionals in Ghana before joining Udinese’s academy in 2001. He broke into the first team in 2002 and spent five productive years in Italy’s north-east, making over 125 appearances and building the profile that attracted Portsmouth, who signed him for £7.1 million in 2007. At Portsmouth, he won the FA Cup in 2008, scoring the decisive goal in the final against Cardiff City. Inter Milan paid £14 million for him that same year, and he won the Serie A title in his first season.
His greatest night in club football came in 2010 when he scored one of the goals in Inter Milan’s Champions League semi-final victory over Barcelona at the San Siro, a result that set up their eventual Champions League triumph that season. He moved to AC Milan in 2012 and became one of the rare players to represent both Milanese clubs. He represented Ghana at the 2006, 2010, and 2014 World Cups and earned 73 senior caps, scoring 17 goals. After stints at Al Ittihad, Pescara, Deportivo La Coruña, and Albacete, he returned home to sign for Hearts of Oak in Accra in 2022, ending his career where his heart always was.
Controversies
Sulley Muntari’s most significant and most celebrated controversy is the moment he walked off a Serie A pitch during Pescara’s match against Cagliari on April 30, 2017, in protest against racial abuse from the home crowd. He had reported the abuse to referee Daniele Minelli, pointing to his skin and demanding the match be stopped, but the referee booked him for dissent instead of addressing the crowd. Muntari’s response was immediate: he walked off the field, leaving Pescara to finish with ten men, and confronted the Cagliari fans as he left, shouting “This is my colour” and slapping his own skin.
He was then shown a second yellow card and a red card for leaving without permission. The Italian football federation initially handed him a one-match ban, a decision that drew global outrage from players, fans, and governing bodies worldwide. The ban was subsequently rescinded. Former Juventus and Italy legend Alessandro Del Piero, working as a pundit that evening, told Muntari on live television: “You handled things perfectly. You did everything right.”
Earlier in 2014, he was sent home from the Ghana squad at the World Cup in Brazil after punching a Ghana Football Association official following a dispute over unpaid bonuses affecting the entire squad. He later wrote a public apology letter to the GFA. In 2013, he was also among the AC Milan players targeted by racist chanting during a friendly against Pro Patria in Busto Arsizio, the match that was abandoned after Kevin-Prince Boateng led the walkoff that made global headlines.
Sulley Muntari’s Social Media Handle
https://www.instagram.com/sulleymuntari
Personal Life
Suleyman Ali Muntari was born on August 27, 1984, in Konongo, Ghana, making him 41 years old. He is a practising Muslim who observes Ramadan fasting and has described his faith as central to his identity. In December 2010, he married Menaye Donkor, a Ghanaian beauty queen and businesswoman who has run charitable initiatives including the Charity for Hope Project in partnership with former Inter Milan striker Christian Vieri.
Together they have a son named Jamal. Muntari holds the Serie A record for the most appearances by an African footballer, a record he held until it was surpassed by fellow Ghanaian Kwadwo Asamoah in 2021.
Sulley Muntari Net Worth
Sulley Muntari’s net worth is estimated to be around $22 million.